Union leaders and senior figures have slammed Keir Starmer for withdrawing the whip from Jeremy Corbyn after it had been unanimously restored to the former Labour leader by his reinstatement by a panel of National Executive Committee (NEC) members.
Unite’s Len McCluskey condemned Starmer’s ‘vindictive and vengeful decision which despoils Party democracy and due process‘ – and for acting in ‘bad faith’ in his ‘continued persecution’ of Corbyn – and accused him of destroying ‘party unity and integrity’ while undermining the EHRC report he has pledged to implement in full:
CWU general secretary Dave Ward went even further, describing Starmer’s action as ‘shocking’ – because it gives Boris Johnson a free ride over the
serious issues of the day. Millions face redundancy, hundreds are dying every day and the government gets away with it. But Starmer wants a civil war.
And the condemnation was not limited only to general secretaries. Unite assistant general secretary Howard Beckett, a leading contender for the leadership of the union when McCluskey retires, was no less damning, concluding either that Starmer is a ‘poor and divisive’ leader or else that he intends to ‘wage war on the left’ – and has given the Establishment media easy opportunities to mask the terrible toll the Tories are inflicting on the people of this country:
Keir Starmer is tearing the party – and potentially the movement – apart, while helping Boris Johnson and the media hide the horror of Tory government.
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I’m firmly of the opinion that Jeremy’s current predicament is entirely of his own doing. He was the one that started this confrontation, he still appears to be the only one who knows what he was trying to achieve.
Regardless of whether it was Corbyn’s fault or not, that’s still no excuse for Starmer breaking the rules of the PLP, as set out in the article before this one.
Tellingly, I notice you don’t have anything to say on that topic but were the first on here with your endless repetition of that same pathetic argument, despite the fact he broke no rules in what he said, either with respect to the party or the EHRC report.
We can only assume, therefore, that you don’t have a problem with the party’s rules being broken when it suits your narrative.
That makes you a hypocrite since you seldom hesitate to refer to the party’s rules in response to other posters on here.
It matters not a jot whether it was Corbyn’s fault or not, you simply can’t have it both ways, SteveH.
Either due process is observed and which Starmer, as an ex-QC, should instinctively be bound by, or we end up with nothing better than arbitrary judgements and decisions made by kangaroo courts merely in order to assuage public opinion and a few disgruntled MPs.
What really gets my back up with you is your apparent total disregard for those Jewish people who are at odds with this situation (not to mention the Palestinians) and who firmly support Corbyn in his stance on this.
How do you think they feel when their champion is being treated with such disdain for simply telling the truth?
Read some of the many comments on JVL articles in this regard, it just might enlighten you.
He was the one that started this confrontation
Waaaaggh…waaaagggh….waaaaghh…Corbyn started it, Corbyn this, Corbyn that…It’s not darling stammer’s fault, you wuffians…
The fucking absolute STATE of you.
How about you tell us all what you think of stammer pandering to the minority BoD and CAA who have done fuck-all but engineer and over-exaggerate the so-called ‘endemic problem’ that stammer WILL do something about while ignoring that people drop dead and kids go hungry without a moment’s thought from the polygonal-headed slimebag?
Instead, we have to suffer your poncery
”Oh, no,….It’s jewemmies fault, yes, yes….all down him, bwought in upon himself he did”
Curl up and croak you sadsack.
By agreeing with the conclusion of the report?
SteveH, we are never going to agree on whom Starter this mess. However, what is clear as day light is that Starmer is breaking the rules of the Labour Party.
Starmer is a disgrace, as a QC he should know better and stay firm on the side of due process and respect the rules of the Party.
Anyway, Starmer is on a count down, since the left isn’t going to stay quiet. Starmer has crossed the Rubicon, he has declared civil war on the left of the Party a war we didn’t want but that we are going to fight.
He is going to find extremely difficult to please the right ot the Party too, since they are going to demand more and more suspension of members and MPs.and as soon as he refuses they are going to go after him.
Ironically, this is the one thing that the right and the left of the Party are going pretty soon to agree on: Starmer is a useless leader that has to go.
Maria – I’m guessing that the rules must have changed then?
“So it’s on record that it is the right of the party leader to withdraw the whip – no approval or endorsement from the NEC or other party body is required.
https://skwawkbox.org/2016/12/21/corbyn-has-right-to-withdrawthewhip-from-watson-or-other-mps-heres-the-proof/
@SteveH
“Maria – I’m guessing that the rules must have changed then?
“So it’s on record that it is the right of the party leader to withdraw the whip – no approval or endorsement from the NEC or other party body is required.
https://skwawkbox.org/2016/12/21/corbyn-has-right-to-withdrawthewhip-from-watson-or-other-mps-heres-the-proof/”
Those are PARLIAMENTARY rules. They are not the Labour Party’s rules, nor are they the guidelines laid out by the EHRC. Starmer, at least in the circumstances, must make sure that his actions are not in violation of ALL THREE.
Martin – Thanks for your input but as you may have already realised I am of course aware that there are a number of different rule systems in play here and which takes primacy is anyone’s guess. My post was intended to highlight the different treatment of this story and a similar one 4yrs ago and to simply ask – If it was considered to be ok for Jeremy to unilaterally remove the whip in 2016 then why is it not ok for Keir to do the same now. What’s changed.
Which one has primacy is neither here nor there. NONE of them must be disobeyed, and it is perfectly possible to avoid disobeying any of them,
…. and?
And he HAS broken them.
You are entitled to your opinion.
Yes, and I am also entitled to state facts.
SteveH, to withdraw the whip after a full NEC panel unanimously decided to reinstate Corbyn in to the Party the day before? Come on it smack of political interference from the leader.
Even Jon Lasman that doesn’t agree with Corbyn’s statement is very clear that Starmer is driving a coach and horses through the rules and procedures of the Labour Party.
Corbyn never intervened in suspending Chris Williamson or any other MP. He allowed whoever was the General Secretary at the time, to convene a NEC panel and stood by the decision of the panel.
Despite all the complaints of political interference from LOTO when Corbyn was leader, JC never stoop so low as to unilaterally withdrawing the whip for an MP.
Says Steve H, the round the clock, paid, resident Starmer fanboy, troll of Skwawkbox, Give it a rest, Steve, no-one is buying your glib pro Starmer rubbish .
Whom did Corbyn confront?
SteveH,
Do yourself a favour mate, and everyone of the Left who reads Skwawkbox: Just fuck off and post your bollocks on Red Roar or any crap organised by Progress/Labour First.
Enough is enough, you are a bad faith poster.
Christopher Rogers….to be fair to steve judas H can rightly claim to be suffering from High anxiety,and overworked defending his knight of the realm..We must also show some sympathy that the retirement bolt hole in the Caribbean is now in jeopardy just like his leader and the misfits that support him.The membership and a growing number of members of the PLP are realising that the very existence of the Labour party is in jeopardy as well Now not to belittle any of these upstandingMPs but as Dennis Skinner once said its the best job in the world ,3months holidays unlimited expenses?and a inflation busting pay rise every year.Starmer will stop the gravey train and thats why people like Stevie are 😟worried and extremely anxious 😓and depressed..IT really has to be this way Steve H and even though you may want to throw a wobbly its not going to get you off the hook.Surprising though it is these capatilist lackys forgot that a lot of people make a very good living out of the members funding and that will be the main reason you will be out of a job,just like your slithering excuse for a human being the knight.
Bolt hole in the Carribean? What’s that about? Please tell. Thanks.
alexanderscottish – “Bolt hole in the Carribean? What’s that about?”
SH itself revealed intention to “retire” soon to the Caribbean. Never occurred to me that it was possible to “retire” after such an ultra committed tooling rate… but we live and learn.
No location was divulged, but best not speculate. The islands are very diverse… people, food, flora, fauna, geology, socio economics, politics, and of course medicine and health. There are poor ones, poorer ones, dirt poor ones like Haiti, but all rich in what we are too often poor.
There are very well off ones also. BUT years ago, while in Halls of Residence, i saw a BBC , i think, doc on one of the islands that was completely taken over by an American bank i think. Almost everything was owned by the bank or company… hospitals, all utilities… everything. The investigative reporters were trying to speak directly to the “governor” of the tiny island, via a guard or maid, via an intercom outside the v large luxurious tropical villa. That image stuck in my head. ps not Grenada.
BUT back to the destination of SH, it could be anywhere. Even the object of Air-miles Andy’s “honourable friendship Jeffrey Epstein, who returned the “honour” by throwing a party in Air-miles Andy’s honour, at his New York Townhouse, had a private island in the Caribbean. “Pedophile Island” is up for sale i think. Might be going cheap considering… The sidewalk outside Epstein’s NY townhouse is heated, so the constant foot fall of victims were spared the trouble of slippery… sidewalks after proper snow. Not the snow that puts privatised British trains out of action. PROPER snow. But with access to money one can reduce slipperiness sometimes. At other times hmmm just see… Blair Libya, Iraq, over a million dead according to the Iraq Survey Group, … Middle East Peace Envoy…
Anyway alexanderscottish, there i go again, 😂 Only meant to say re the retirement spot of SH, it’s best not asking. Don’t mess with SH. It is his mess. He has tooled round the clock for it… tooled his soul for a mess … and it’s not pottage.
Saddo
Thank you. Air miles Andy great.Thanks
Thank you alexanderscottish. Wish could claim as mine. But tis v old name 4 the one who thought flying all the way to and fro New York, to end his friendship with a convicted pedophile and cross continental child trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Why travel so far and attend a reception Epstein hosted in his honour? Because he said that he Air-miles, is “an honourable man” and “it was the honourable thing to do”. For good “astute” measure, i think he added that his “fault was that he is too honourable”. Tories definitely stick by their friends through thin and thinner…
Before the above normal Tory doings, for decades, after air travel of related parasites were totted up, Epstein’s friend Andrew was at the very top …if not near it. Notably he, not his friend Epstein, used helicopters to very short distances eg to and fro golf courses and non official extravagances.
Journeys doable by car, in minutes as swiftly as between a Pizza seller and Airmiles’ now demolished Sunningdale house… gift from his mummy the dutiful dedicated scrounger. ps “Sold” for about £7.3 million, i think, then razed to the ground.
Razed to the ground… RUBBLE… like bulldozed generations old Palestinian humble home and lovingly tended olive trees and grape vines. Big difference though. Airmails can at little expense to him use many other homes and gardens.
We of course pay for them directly and indirectly. So Airmiles can “entertain” anyone. No matter the source, the peculiar type of “honour”, Airmiles can “entertain”…
Coming to think of it, being so accustomed to helicopter travel at public expense, it would be easy to grossly over estimate the time it would take to drive a few miles to fit in, pizza with one’s scrounging sprogs and Tory doings with victims of a similar age, as his own sprogs.
But forgive me alexanderscottish. My bad as ever. Only meant to say thats how he got the fitting name – Airmiles Andy. But there is always so much about the 1% lot. Their neighbours, the extra curricular proclivities, the greed, abuse of the public purse, and the violent incongruence with myths and the language of the myths. “Duty”, “Christian”, “Care”, “Service”, “Patriotism”, “honourable”, “respect”, “kindness” “British”… pure “1984”, but so familiar, many thoroughly believe, despite overwhelming evidence.
alexanderscottish, the day b4 the Thames Jubilee Flotilla, i asked a man bedecked in everything from head to foot, why he was camping overnight in such cold wet weather. I of the long posts was left speechless by his answer, and walked away stunned. He said, with calm conviction – “because they are better than us.”😯😯😯
Wow, they are so degenerate that one could easily believe it was fiction. Good comparison about the levelling of homes. I have met agree people like the weird patriot you mentioned. We have to change things really soon, heaven knows what will surface from repeated lockups. Thanks.
alexanderscottish, it was a few years ago now. I was with my sister visiting me from on of the university towns. won’t say which, lest WFM tracks her down and starts pestering her with his appeasement weirdness😂
I posed the question to the fellow in a polite interested way. He was equally open and polite. When he answered “because they are better than us”, my sister and i both looked at each other in stunned disbelief. It was his calm happy conviction that took our breaths away. Don’t think we will ever forget that encounter🌹🌹🩸
🌹🌹🌹
Well you’re firmly fucking wrong – ALL our “current predicaments” are entirely the fault of the parasites in Labour, the MSM, Israel and the Tory party. You know that as well as we do – that means you’re a fucking liar to boot.
David – I thought it was quite clear that I was referring to his reponse to the EHRC report. Whatever outcome Jeremy intended the one we have ended up with is MSM discussing Corbyn, Labour and anti-Semitism in the same breath,again.
Yes, it was perfectly clear – clear that you were, again, selectively quoting from the CliffsNotes on Corbyn’s Antisemitism in your pathetic attempts to divert attention from the obvious truth – that the establishment left no crime uncommitted to cheat democracy, again.
“MSM discussing yada yada” – when discussion stops history pauses at that point. That only serves the liars – the longer it’s in the news the further they have to stretch the lie and the more chance there is of the truth coming out.
I heard Jeremy’s taking legal advice.
Best thing that could happen for the left is a massive and expanding series of court cases in the news for months – and that kind of exposure leads to the worst possible outcome for Starmer, the right, the Tories, the MSM, Israel and British Jewry.
Think of all those whistleblowers…
What quote, selective or otherwise, would that be.
I thought I was quitre clear…
You deluded little gobshite, you honestly think you sound ministerial?!!
You’re less than fuck-all, you divvy; a failure as a wannabe politician and an utter abortion of a human being.
I don’t think I’ve ever HATED anyone….until now.
SteveH, the MSM has ended up discussing Corbyn because of Starmer’s over reaction by agreeing to Corbyn’s suspension for the Party in the first place and now for withdrawing the Labour whip from him.
It is Starmer’s responsability, he is the leader, the buck stops at him.
I wouldn’t say that I agreed with everything SteveH, far from it but he is as entitled to comment on Skwawkbox as are the rest of us, (subject to Skwawkbox obviously).
…everything SteveH says, far…
Really, Richard?
You think he’s entitled to pass judgement/coment – Even when the horridable little twat freely admits he finds winding people up so he gets berated ‘Entertaining’?
https://skwawkbox.org/2020/11/15/pro-corbyn-track-reaches-number-1-in-itunes-chart/#comment-164850
Toffee, you’d miss him if he left. He invigorates your posts. Cheers
Have to agree. We believe in free speech don’t we? Don’t have to like it but it is one of our strengths. Give them enough rope etc. X
Skwawkbox: “Keir Starmer is tearing the party – and potentially the movement – apart, while helping Boris Johnson and the media hide the horror of Tory government.”
Except – Labour’s been divided between left and right as long as I can remember, to a greater or lesser degree, and the right’s always been in the ascendancy.
From the right’s point of view Corbyn “tore the party apart” when socialism looked like it might disturb their cosy, lazy, privileged, carefree, self-satisfied sinecures.
If it seems I’m excusing them, I’m not – it’s unforgivable to compromise with despots but it’s far worse to become despots yourselves and deny the people the right even to choose socialism if they want it.
For the umpteenth time, we need a new party if we ever want a socialist option on the ballot paper.
David – At one time I believed that Corbyn would never leave the party to head up a new party, now I’m not so sure.
You more than just “believed” – you were 100% confident.
It could hardly be more obvious that Starmer’s object is not to take over the Labour Party but to put an end to it. This is quite different from the age old battle by the right to crush the left, in that battle there was always the recognition, however reluctantly, that the left was what gave the party its electoral base.
Now we are seeing the right adjusting quite happily to the loss of both the Scottish and the Northern safe seats. They no longer need the left because they no longer need the working class, in fact they don’t want its support. Not as a class, at any rate.
What Starmer is doing and what the Blairites have learned-after the near death experience of Corbynism- that they have to do is to empty the party of its membership and refill the empty husk with a clientele of minority ethnic groups, feminists and ambitious people looking for jobs and groupies who will do anything to be close to power. Anyone will do.
All they need is the party machinery, the vast portfolio of property and other assets built up over more than a century and the support of a portion of the ruling class.
The Blairites did half the work-gutting the Constitution, erasing socialist principles as in Clause 4 and changing the name to New Labour but they were not quite ruthless enough, as they discovered in 2015. They thought that they had suffocated socialism because they had never believed in it and assumed that nobody really did. Now they know better. Like the capitalists they now understand that socialism is a very dangerous enemy, that they dare not leave alive. It must be wiped out, eradicated entirely.
Starmer is not just a moderate or a right winger he is the current representative of 21st Century Fascism a much more sinister force than the crude Mussolini and Hitler prototypes.
I agree
But the solution is a scorched earth policy of Red Tories and Israel lobby
So join and vote, vote in Union elections, support legal cases
Then there’s the small matter of the industrial scale fraud in cheap and nasty Tory party killing thousands, this time next year Rodney
SteveH
Vexatious claims of anti semitism are hate crimes and will be prosecuted
Heard Hodge being given another free ride on Radio 4. Apparently she isn’t leaving but was mpoaning about the abuse she is GOING to get on twitter. People really should not do this, as it only encourages her. Experience – her experience seems to show these trolls are unlikely to actually BE members of the Labour Party. Maybe her old friends in the BNP…or maybe The Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2007/may/27/thefarright.communities
Apparently she isn’t leaving but was mpoaning about the abuse she is GOING to get on twitter. People really should not do this, as it only encourages her.
Forever with the persecution complex, already…
And the pederast-enabling arld bastard KNOWS it’s GOING to get ‘abuse’ on twitter, does it?
Easy solution…DON’T GO ON TWITTER, YOU WIZENED ARLD HAG.
Better still, shut your fucking cave, and desist altogether from making dozens-upon-dozens of allegations of antisemitism within the party that don’t even involve labour party members, and attempting to attribute them to Corbyn and the left.
Can everyone on this site not engage with SteveH. Eventually he will go away (though it will take time).
Paul
SteveH
Is our Steve Bannon a useful idiot designed to scare the bairns
Meanwhile back in the real world democracy and the Justice system will Trump them every time
My point is
Who is the horrible bastw4d who is going to do the dirty work for us and 5hen hand over to the next generation
Does anybody know how much SteveH is paid to be the target of all this deserved abuse? Or does he just enjoy being ground down? Will he ever run out of grenades to throw into Skwawkbox stories?
I strongly suspect that in the very short breaks his onerous , round-the-clock, trolling job demands contractually, little Steve H can be found on his knees, stark bollock naked, with only a spiked dog collar to his name – being flogged by a paid ‘madame whiplash’ he likes to call ‘ Sir Keir’. Such is the lot of the typical abuse-seeking masochist. Just a thought . Now TRY to rid your now forever polluted minds of that horrible image every time little Steven posts his nonsense posts.
jpenney – I’m guessing this pejorative nonsense is all you have. You are the one (not me) who has spent years on this forum and others expressing your contempt for Jeremy Corbyn. I can dig out the direct quotes again if you want proof. Has something changed to alter your long standing view of Corbyn.
Given your own posting history it is a bit hypocritical of you to attack me for expressing the quite legitimate opinion that Jeremy’s own actions regarding the EHRC report lie at the root of his current predicament.
Magnificent. Now please excuse me I have to go and vomit. X
No, there are lots of grenades and he’s impervious.
Len and Dave say what need to be said.
But stop wasting £miilions of members money by pouring it into the hands of
the vindictive and vengeful Starmer machine.
Oh dear more nonsense from our very own inhouse toll Steve H. Starmer’s current predicament is completely of his own making. A few day ago a properly constituted committee of the Party found that there were no grounds to continue with Corbyn’s suspension. Nevertheless following that finding Starmer took matters entirely in to his own hands ignored PLP procedures and re-imposed the Corbyn’s suspension himself. This was despite being aware that a lot of members and TU’s has reacted very angrily to the suspension of Corbyn in the first place.
Starmer is now caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. He will be dammed by the right as being weak and ineffectual if he doesn’t bring them the head of Jeremy Corbyn and he will be faced with the hostility of many members and TUs with the possibly the splitting of the Party for good if he continues with his nonsense. Which ever way you look at it he is going to come out of all this pretty badly.
After Corbyn’s hearing Starmer was in a position to simply move on and get the Party back to the urgent business of opposing this appalling Tory Government. He could even have told those baying for Corbyn’s blood that he had done his best and got so far but this was not the time to continue with it.- but he chose not to. As a consequence he has now landed himself well and truly in the shit. Corbyn’s fault indeed – what utter bollocks
I was under the impression that the leader can withdraw the whip but only the NEC can suspend.
JC current state is that the whip has been withdrawn, & he has not been suspended ???
Albert – Have the rules changed during the intervening period, this is what Skwawkbox said back in 2016.
“So it’s on record that it is the right of the party leader to withdraw the whip – no approval or endorsement from the NEC or other party body is required. There is also precedent
https://skwawkbox.org/2016/12/21/corbyn-has-right-to-withdrawthewhip-from-watson-or-other-mps-heres-the-proof/
Just for the sake of clarification I presume that the rules referred to in the article above are taken from the Labour Party document APPENDIX TO THE STANDING ORDERS OF THE PARLIAMENTARY LABOUR PARTY – THE CODE OF CONDUCT. These have not been changed for several years. They set out that it is the Party’s Chief Whip who is charged with the task of investigating breaches of conduct by MPs and after following the procedure that has broadly been set out by the above. It is also the Chief Whip who – should it be decided to do so – withdraws the Party whip from a MP.
No where in those rules does it suggest that the Labour Party Leader can unilaterally withdraw the Whip from a MP. The leader of the Party may of course approach the Chief Whip with a complaint about a MP that ultimately leads to the withdrawal of the Whip but due process must be observed.
The article from this blog dated 21/12/2016 that one correspondent keeps referring to which claimed that the then leader Jeremy Corbyn had the power to unilaterally withdraw the whip was simply wrong. Perhaps had he had his wits about him four years ago the correspondent should have taken the opportunity to point that out. However he clearly went along with it because he believed that the Labour Party Leader had and still has such a power.
The article of 21/12/2016 misleadingly quotes from a Parliamentary information document describing in general terms how the Whip operates among the various parties in the House. It is not a Labour Party document. Although its says that a “party leader may withdraw the whip” it is speaking in very general terms and it makes no reference to any internal rules that a party may have that governs such a process. I dare say that there are political parties in Parliament whose leaders do enjoy such absolute powers but this is not so in the case of the Labour Party.
Albert – Thanks for your detailed clarification, I’m sure some will have found it informative. The article quoted below appears to confirm that Keir did not take this decision unilaterally.
“The decision not to restore the whip to Mr Corbyn was made by his successor as party leader and the chief whip, Nick Brown.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/breaking-keir-starmer-not-restore-23029223
As I have said elsewhere I published the link to the 2016 article in part to highlight the difference between the treatment of two similar stories.
Good response Albert , I think that clarifies the situation and I don’t remember Corbyn removing the whip from anyone during his term , but by Christ he should have done on many occasions via due an proper process unlike Starmer, but being the true socialist JC choose party unity and party first . It puts Starmers utterly weak leadership into perspective , an inadequate pathetic little man in fear of a far superior Leader.
Len and Dave need to put their money where their mouth is – unless they and all the other unions withhold donations they are only wasting their breath – money talks and this time it should say loudly and clearly that it will not be coming Labours way until “vindictive” Starmer does the right thing.
And Fooks off aht of it !